The Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) is a public private initiative that has collaboratively evolved through consultations with multiple constituencies including Indian and international academia, state and central governments, multi & bi-lateral agencies and civil society groups. PHFI is a response to redress the limited institutional capacity in India for strengthening training, research and policy development in the area of Public Health.

Structured as an independent foundation, PHFI adopts a broad, integrative approach to public health, tailoring its endeavours to Indian conditions and bearing relevance to countries facing similar challenges and concerns. The PHFI focuses on broad dimensions of public health that encompass promotive, preventive and therapeutic services, many of which are frequently lost sight of in policy planning as well as in popular understanding.

The Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh, launched PHFI on March 28, 2006 at New Delhi. PHFI recognizes the fact that meeting the shortfall of health professionals is imperative to a sustained and holistic response to the public health concerns in the country which in turn requires health care to be addressed not only from the scientific perspective of what works, but also from the social perspective of, who needs it the most.

From the president's pen

PHFI was born at a time of great confidence in India’s soaring economic growth but also of great concern about the appallingly poor health indicators that were utterly incongruous with the image of a rapidly developing country.Apart from high rates of infant, child and maternal mortality, as well as shockingly high levels of child undernutrition and adolescent anaemia, a multitude of infectious diseases extracted a high toll of avoidable deaths and disability. Those who survived these threats faced the mounting menace of non-communicable diseases like cardiovascular disorders, diabetes, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases and mental illness. Personal health, family fortunes and national productivity- all fell prey to diseases that could have prevented or detected early for effective control. The response of a poorly configured and seriously under resourced health system, to these complex challenges was feeble and uncoordinated. Policies and programmes in other sectors, which profoundly impact on health, were not sensitive or aligned to public health goals. India’s embarrassingly low position, in the global listings of Human Development Index, was due to neglect of health and education at the population level, despite islands of excellence in tertiary medical care or higher professional education.

Public Health

A country’s prosperity rides on the health of its population. Today, the foremost challenge confronting India is improving its performance on health indicators. Beyond these numbers which represent national averages, there is a human dimension to public health – all sections of India’s population need to be assured of accessible, affordable, and effective health services.

PHFI: A Think Tank, Academic and Research Institution

Over the past decade, PHFI has begun to play a transformative role in India’s public health environment. In doing so, it engages a wide array of stakeholders who include central and state governments, national and international donors, civil society, academic and research institutions and the communities that PHFI works with.

What do we do

Building a trained public health workforce through world-class, India relevant educational courses and training programmes.

Supporting improvement of core public health programmes such as Immunisation; HIV/AIDS prevention; Allied Health workforce capacity building through technical assistance (as Technical Support Units) to Government of India and to the state governments

The setting up of the Public Health Foundation of India presents a unique opportunity to develop innovative models of public-private partnership in major social sector programmes. Such partnership can help blend the commitment of government with the operational efficiency of not-for-profit private groups.

OUR VISION, MISSION AND VALUES

Vision

Our vision is to strengthen India’s public health institutional and systems capability and provide knowledge to achieve better health outcomes for all

Mission

Developing the public health workforce and setting standards

Advancing public health research and technology

Strengthening knowledge application and evidence-informed public health practice and policy

Values

Transparency

Uphold the trust of our multiple stakeholders and supporters

Honest, open and ethical in all we do, acting always with integrity

Impact

Link efforts to improving public health outcomes, knowledge to action

Responsive to existing and emerging public health priorities

Informed

Knowledge based, evidence driven approach in all we do

Drawing on diverse and multi- disciplinary expertise, open to innovative approaches

Excellence

Aim for highest standards in all aspects of our work

Encourage, recognise and celebrate our achievements

Independence

Independent view & voice, based on research integrity & excellence

Support academic and research freedom, contributing to public health goals and interests

Inclusiveness

Strive for equitable and sustainable development, working with communities

Collaborate and partner with other public health organisation

Building IndIan Institutes of Public Health for Developing Public Health Workforce

At the time of its launch in 2006, PHFI had set out a Charter that focused on institutional capacity-building to strengthen education, training, research and policy development in public health across India.

Research at PHFI

Since its inception PHFI has worked to establish a robust evidence base for public health, in partnership with national and international institutions, by advancing policy and programme relevant research in prioritised health areas. PHFI has been undertaking projects in multiple areas including epidemiology and control of infectious and chronic diseases, maternal and child health, health systems, and social determinants of health.

Among the several honours and awards received by PHFI’s faculty and scientists, some are listed below

Public Health Foundation of India awarded the PHD Chamber Award for Excellence in Skill Development for the Year 2015 by the Union Home Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh

Diabetes training programmes – CCEBDM and CCGDM are recognised by prestigious International Diabetes Federation for the period 2014-2016 and 2015-2017 respectively. CCGDM is also accredited by South Asia Federation of Endocrinology Society (SAFES) from 2014 to 2016

2016

Launch of Permanent campus of IIPH – Gandhinagar

Launch of MPH programme through affiliation between IIPH Delhi and Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Trivandrum

Donate to a Healthier India : Collective effort is required to address the public health challenges we face today. Partner with PHFI and support initiatives to strengthen public health initiatives in India.